Feeling Pretty?

On Saturday, I accidentally watched Maria Sharapova win the U.S. Open. I say accidentally because I just happened to switch on the TV about half-way through her match with Justine Henin-Hardenne. I tuned in at the end of the first set, which Maria won, so I started rooting for Justine because I wanted the match to last longer! Maria, who is only 19, ended up winning 6-4, 6-4.

It's been a while since I watched tennis on TV, but I was a big fan when I was in high school. One year, my sister got me a tennis racquet for my birthday. My school didn't offer tennis as a sport, and I had no idea how I was supposed to hit the ball, but it was still fun. I remember reading Ladies of the Court--a behind-the-scenes look at women's tennis with lots of gossip about the top players of the time. Steffi Graf was my favorite. I eventually learned the basics of the game as a freshman in college, when I took two tennis classes.

Yesterday, I dusted off my old tennis rackets and played for the first time in a couple of years. I had a blast, even though my friend beat me 6-1, 7-5 and I couldn't have hit a backhand shot to save my life. Later that day at the GEB meeting, Selene mentioned that she was having trouble concentrating because the U.S. Open men's final was going on--and she was missing it! I didn't get a chance to quiz Selene about her interest in tennis, but it's nice to know I'm not the only New Moonie who's a tennis fan.

Women tennis players get a lot of attention based on how they dress and how they look--definitely more than men do. Some players, like Maria, Anna Kournikova, and Venus and Serena Williams, seem to revel in the attention (and the endorsement money) and become fashion plates, while others stay out of the spotlight, no matter how well they do on the tour.

Are you a tennis fan or player? What do you think about Maria's "I Feel Pretty" commercials? How about all the attention paid to women athletes' appearance in general? Post a comment!